2016 is widely regarded as the year VR really took off. After nearly two decades of waiting, we finally have the hardware and the computing power to make virtual reality an actual reality for regular people, all over the world.

So far, we’ve seen two broad categories of VR devices hit the market. The first are devices that connect to a computer graphics card via a cord, much like a regular monitor. These devices don’t contain any computational capacity themselves; instead, the two small, high-resolutions screens in the devices are sent images from a person's computer. With these corded VR headsets, the priority is high fidelity: their makers want users to be able to experience virtual worlds that are as true to life as possible. But, of course, there’s a catch: the people using these devices are limited in how much they can move around, thanks to that cord tieing them to their PC.

Not satisfied with this, many headset developers, including, those at The FlyZone, have decided to take a different approach. Instead of relying on a powerful computer with even more powerful graphics cards, they see a market for VR driven by the capabilities of modern smartphones. The inherent mobility of smartphones mean that mobile VR devices don’t need to be hooked up to computers via a cord: instead, they rely on the smartphone itself to produce the VR experience. Now there is an entire range of mobile VR products that can accommodate differently sized smartphone, providing a relatively cheap and accessible way for more people to enjoy this new entertainment medium. Headset systems, like the VR3D, enable users to enter fun 3D worlds, without having to spend a fortune on new computer hardware.

Fun Stuff You Can Do With A Mobile Headset

It’s worth pointing out, for people who haven’t tried VR, just what a visceral and exciting experience it is. If you’ve ever seen the reactions of a person using a VR headset, it’s clear that they really do believe that they are there. No other technology until this point has been able to generate such a profound sense of presence. And this, of course, means that mobile VR headsets offer plenty of opportunities to have fun.

YouTube

One of the cool things about the new mobile VR headsets is that they allow users to experience 360-degree video. Currently, the standard YouTube app offers a growing amount of immersive, VR content, allowing users to become totally absorbed in whatever they are watching. More and more videos are now being shot natively in 360 degrees, using impressive cameras.

Browse The Web And Interact With Media In New Ways

VR is also making it possible to fundamentally change the way we interact with the internet and organise our media. An app called Fulldive VR allows you to view all of your mobile apps, photos and videos stored on your phone in a fully 3D environment. It essentially means that you’ve got a lot more space - space that you wouldn’t ordinarily have if you were tapping away on a five-inch smartphone screen. The app also allows users to browse the internet, surf YouTube and generally navigate their smartphone OS in a more interactive way.

Racing Games

As we already discussed, VR induces an incredible feeling of presence. Thus, when it comes to games, none provide a better experience than those that are meant to be played in first-person, like racing games. Currently, there is a host of first-person racing games you can play on mobile VR racing headsets, including racing games set in space, like Radial-G Infinity.

Flying Games

Like racing games, flying games are also ideally suited for use with mobile VR headsets, mainly because they are again meant to be played in first-person, and also because the real life version is experienced in the sitting down position. The mobile market is expanding into this area too, providing mobile VR gamers with options like Voxel Fly VR, which is a mixture of the dazzling colours of the original Mirror’s Edge and the gameplay of the smash hit Frogger.

Navigate Your Way Through A Labyrinth

If you’re somebody who loves mazes, but doesn’t want to spend every weekend travelling to country estates and paying expensive entry fees, then VR has a solution for you too. An app called BAMF, despite the silly name, allows users to navigate puzzles in a three-dimensional world. It’s actually a great way to get involved in VR if you’re into that sort of thing, with the aim of the game being to navigate from one end of an obstacle course to another, trying to find your way out of the game’s fiendishly clever obstacles.

The bottom line? Mobile VR headsets are a great way to have fun, no matter what digital content you love.

Christmas is nearly here, and you’ve probably already started looking at those lists and checking them twice. But if you’re still hopelessly confused about what to buy your kids this year, we’ve got some great ideas. Let’s look at some of the best Christmas gifts for kids of all ages that children would love to open come Christmas morning.

Top toys for kids under 3 years +

If your little one is under three years of age, it can be quite difficult to shop for them. You don’t want to get a toy with parts that could be swallowed, and you’re probably looking for something that isn’t going to break easily. At this age, you should be looking for something that is quite large with virtually no small parts. You also want a toy that will stimulate attention with bright colours or sounds.

A great toy this year would be a fire engine with flashing lights and music. This basic toy is clunky and robust, easily able to withstand a few bumps and scrapes in the back garden.

Or, you could get a horse and carriage. This toy is perfect for stimulating their imagination and will give them lots of hours of place on Christmas morning. My Little Pony has become very popular with kids lately, so we’re sure they’ll love this gift.

Top Toys For Kids Aged 5+ Years

For children that are a little older, you can think about getting them their first RC toy. If your kid is five-year-old or over they should be able to handle one of the more basic RC models. However, basic doesn’t make them any less impressive and you can even get ones that look like their favourite car. For instance, you can get an RC modeled after the fastest car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron! Any little budding petrol head is going to love this gift, that’s for sure.

Or, how about a toy that transforms from a helicopter into a robot? We’re sure you would have wanted a toy like this when you were little, and we bet your kid would love one too. They’ll get hours of fun with 1:14 RC Autobot Transform that really changes by control!

Top Toys For Kids aged 12 years +

For children approaching teens, the perfect gift would be teaching them how to fly. You can get them a remote control helicopter that soars high up in the air within their control. The best part is that you can buy based on experience. Channel 3 helicopters are for beginners, and if your kid already has some knowledge of how to fly, you can buy a more advanced model. Just imagine how happy they’ll be taking one of these out for a test flight on Christmas day!

Or finally, give your child a glimpse of the future with a proper VR headset. Let them see a brand new world and get lost in an adventure that feels more real than any video game. The only problem here is that you’ll probably want to keep it for yourself!

We hope you use some of these ideas and have fun shopping for Christmas gifts this season.